Woman plunges to death in boiling water

A Russian woman who fell into a pit of boiling water after parking her car has died from her injuries.

The hole is thought to have formed when a municipal heating pipe in St Petersburg ruptured.

According to Reuters, most Russian cities have aging plumbing systems which pump boiling water under the streets and into homes. Burst pipes are a frequent occurrence at this time of year when they are switched on for winter.

"She parked her car, left it, and immediately found herself in boiling water," an official at the city's Military Medical Academy said.

He added that a man who came to the 57-year-old woman's aid was in a stable condition after also sustaining burns.